OTHER TITLES IN THIS SERIES:
GRANTMAKING
NONPROFIT UNIVERSE
COLLABORATION
THE PATH TO IMPACT
THOUGHTFUL SITE VISITS
USING YOUR VOICE
SNACKABLE BITES ON GIVING, FOR TEENS
ON TODAY’S MENU: LEADERSHIP FOR A CHANGING WORLD
WHAT’S PHILANTHROPY, REALLY?
WHY IS LEADERSHIP IMPORTANT IN PHILANTHROPY? HOW DO PEOPLE BECOME
LEADERS? WHAT ACTION STEPS CAN YOU TAKE TOWARD LEADERSHIP TODAY?
These are big questions, and you’ve come to the right place for answers.
In this issue, we’ll explore leadership and its value in philanthropy. So
pull up a seat, order up your salted caramel blended coffee, and we’ll
get you thinking and talking about leadership. Would you like whipped
cream on that?
Philanthropy is a big word that
means to give. It usually refers to
giving money, and can also include
giving other things (volunteering
your time, for example, or sharing
a special skill). The word itself is
defined as a “love of humanity.” It’s
a way to show kindness, to express
what you care about in the world
On Today’s Menu
OBJECTIVE:
LEADERSHIP IN PHILANTHROPY
Discuss the value of leadership and the traits of good leaders.
Learn how philanthropists act as leaders. Create action steps
for leading in your community.
As a philanthropist (or future philanthropist), you have the ability to make things happen. Positive things.
Things that bring about change, both big and small. Foundations and philanthropists everywhere influence
important issues by showing their leadership. What does this kind of leadership look like? It can take many
forms.
•
Funding research on a local environmental problem, and getting that research into the hands of
important people who make decisions to work on solving the problem
•
Rallying corporations, city government, and concerned citizens to save a struggling after-school youth
program that you know is important.
•
Supporting a coalition of agencies and nonprofits to reform a state’s juvenile justice system because
you believe in the innate potential of young people.
•
Using social media to educate about—and advocate for— the causes and organizations you care about most.
Everyone has the power to lead, no matter your age, status, family role, or amount of money you have to give
away. Leadership is something you can learn, and philanthropy is a great place to practice and grow it. This
guide will help you explore different aspects of philanthropic leadership, so you can embrace your own
inner and outer leader—now or when the time is right.
and the difference you want to
make—and to do so with a gift of
your money, time, or talent.
ABOUT THIS GUIDE:
This series introduces young people to
strategic, thoughtful philanthropy, and
inspires them toward giving with impact.
Families and adults who work with youth
can use these guides to facilitate peer
discussion and fun activities around
giving. This project is a partnership
of Exponent Philanthropy and Youth
Philanthropy Connect, with funding by
the Frieda C. Fox Family Foundation.
GETTING THOUGHTFUL ABOUT LEADERSHIP
Unlike what you might think, most
people aren’t born leaders. Leadership is
something you learn over time, and it can
take you to surprising places.
So how do people become leaders?
Here are some ways.
THE PATH TO LEADERSHIP OFTEN BEGINS WITH
PASSION FOR AN ISSUE—sometimes in your
own city or state or even internationally.
What are the issues you care most about?
Maybe it’s bullying or kids dropping out of
school, a nearby river that is polluted with
trash, or the fact that there are no urban
gardens in your neighborhood. It helps to
choose one issue to start—the one you feel
the most driven to change.
HERE’S A TIP: Leadership isn’t something that happens overnight; it
often unfolds over time. It starts with the desire to make a change and
grows when you take action to follow up on that desire. Anyone has the
ability to lead—yes, even you!
PEOPLE WHO BECOME LEADERS FEEL A SENSE
OF URGENCY—a deep desire and impatience
to change what isn’t working, or create
something that will. Often leaders ask
endless questions to really understand
and get to the heart of a problem. And, as
philanthropists, they use their positions to
open doors to people and information.
LEADERS FIND AND FOLLOW A PATH. Along
the way, you might identify something
that could be better, develop a vision for
that change, and then do some leader-like
activities, such as convening (gathering
together) people in your community,
speaking out about what you believe in,
advocating for others who don’t have a
voice, or mobilizing your friends and peers
to support the issue you care about.
USE THESE QUESTIONS TO REFLECT OR DISCUSS WITH YOUR FAMILY OR PEERS.
WHAT ISSUE OR CHANGE DO YOU CARE MOST
ABOUT? (PICK JUST ONE—WE KNOW IT’S
HARD!)
WHAT SKILLS OR NEW LEARNING DO YOU THINK
YOU COULD GAIN FROM SHOWING LEADERSHIP
(E.G., PROBLEM-SOLVING, SELF-CONFIDENCE,
DECISION-MAKING, EMPATHY)?
WHAT ACTION (IF ANY) HAVE YOU ALREADY
TAKEN ON THIS ISSUE (E.G., RESEARCH,
TALKING WITH OTHERS ABOUT IT,
VOLUNTEERING, PARTICIPATING IN EVENTS)? IF
YOU HAVEN’T YET TAKEN ACTION, HOW MIGHT
YOU FIND OUT WHAT YOU COULD DO?
WHAT FEELS UNCOMFORTABLE OR DAUNTING
TO YOU ABOUT BECOMING A LEADER?
WHO IS SOMEONE YOU KNOW AND ADMIRE AS
A LEADER? WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU THINK
MAKES THIS PERSON A GOOD LEADER?
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU COULD DO TO FEEL
MORE COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT IN YOUR
OWN ABILITIES AS A LEADER (E.G., TALK
TO OTHER LEADERS, TAKE SMALL STEPS,
PRACTICE “BEING” A LEADER IN OTHER
WAYS)?
WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT WHEN
IT COMES TO THE PROSPECT OF LEADING
THROUGH YOUR GIVING?
10 TRAITS OF A TERRIFIC LEADER
Being a leader does not necessarily
mean telling others what to do.
Many of the most influential leaders
in history simply made powerful
individual choices and became
role models for others—sometimes
influencing many people around the
world.
6
2
3
7
LEADERS HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE:
They say, Yes, I can!—even when
others don’t believe it’s possible.
LEADERS IMAGINE POSSIBILITIES AND
OVERCOME ADVERSITY: They say, It’s
not a problem; it’s a challenge.
5
LEADERS TRUST THEIR INTUITION:
They say, I may fail or make
mistakes, but I always learn and
move ahead.
8
CARE ABOUT EXCELLENCE: They say,
I will always do my best.
9
(add your own)
LEADERS LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE
THEY WANT TO HELP: They say,
I want to learn from you; I care
about what is needed.
4
LEADERS FOLLOW THEIR PASSION:
They say, I want to make a
difference!—and make their own
decision to do so.
LEADERS FOLLOW THROUGH ON
COMMITMENT: They say, I do what I
say I’m going to do to the best of
my ability.
There are many qualities that make
someone a great leader. What are some
of your favorites?
1
A FEW INSPIRING YOUTH LEADERS
SOME FAMOUS, SOME NOT
LEADERS KEEP GOING EVEN WHEN IT
GETS TOUGH: They say, Never give
up. Never give up. Never give up.
10 (add your own)
Some of the above adapted from
www.kidznpower.net.
Told over and over again that she would fail because
of the homeless people she wanted to hire,
Veronika Scott started the Empowerment Plan as a
20-year-old product design student in Detroit.
Mandi Simon founded Simon Says Give at age 8. The
organization gives youth volunteers the opportunity
to provide celebrations and gifts to children who
would otherwise not receive them. Volunteers have
the opportunity to use their special skills and talents
to create fundraising events they can manage, learn,
and grow from.
Alex Torpey, sworn in as the youngest mayor in New
Jersey in 2011 at age 23, has become a leading voice
in the government transparency and technology
movement, as well as one of the nation’s foremost
nonpartisan advocates for millennial civic leadership.
Alex’s fiscal leadership and emphasis on economic
development and operational efficiencies in South
Orange have led to the town’s three consecutive
lowest tax increases in 15 years.
Eboo Patel is the founder and president of Interfaith
Youth Core, a national organization building the
interfaith movement on college campuses. He was
named by U.S. News and World Report as one of
America’s rising young leaders and is driven by a
personal belief in and passion for the crucial role of
religious dialogue in civic progress.
Malala Yousafzai started the Malala Fund to bring
awareness to the social and economic impact of girls’
education and to empower girls to raise their voices,
unlock their potential, and demand change—all
after being shot on her school bus as a result of her
outspoken views on life under the Taliban. For her
efforts, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014.
LEARNING TO LEAD
Are you ready to step into your leadership
shoes? Here are some action steps to get
you started.
LEARN EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW.
People who become leaders want
to change the status quo. They are
hungry to find out everything they
can about an issue they care about.
They seek input in a variety of ways,
reaching out to grantees, nonprofits,
government agencies, and other
citizens. Some leaders commission
research; others learn by gathering
people to discuss an important
topic.
BE AN EXCELLENT LISTENER. Leaders
are respectful, listen attentively,
and keep confidences. They earn
a reputation for integrity and
trustworthiness. Trust, in turn,
encourages others to be open and
honest with them.
GAIN INSIGHT AND PERSPECTIVE BASED
ON WHAT YOU LEARN. Leaders analyze
the info they gather. They look for
patterns and try to see things from
different angles. They also try to see
the bigger picture.
DEVELOP A VISION FORWARD. A
vision for change emerges from
learning about a problem or issue,
understanding it as best you can,
and analyzing different ways you
might change things for the better.
ACT ON YOUR VISION. Take an action—a
big or small step toward your vision.
Some philanthropists act on their
knowledge and insight, becoming
catalysts for change.
LEADERSHIP IN PHILANTHROPY:
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Here are some examples of how foundations
and individual philanthropists can lead in
their communities:
Gathering information and providing it
to the right people to make changes
Funders have a rare level of access to
key leaders across all sectors.
Supporting organizations that engage
in advocacy and lobbying key issues
The potential for systemic change is
great, and we needn’t shy away from
politics.
Providing a voice to those who
are voiceless
As funders, we can share what we’ve
learned with others.
Taking risks by supporting new,
unknown, or cutting-edge organizations
that show promise—and communicating
that support to others
We have the opportunity to take
informed risks in the name of progress.
Convening people to draw collective
wisdom on an issue and generate
solutions, and mobilizing diverse
partners on an issue
Funders are uniquely positioned to
bring together stakeholders.
ACTIVITY
ONE
INTERVIEW A PHILANTHROPIST
Here’s a way to learn from philanthropists who are already
leaders in their communities or funding areas. Find a staff
or board member from a foundation or giving program
(maybe it’s even your own family foundation), and ask if you
can interview him or her by phone or in person. Ask these
questions, or any others that you’re curious about.
1
2
3
ACTIVITY
TWO
TAKE ACTION TODAY
1
What are some ways you can lead in the next one to
three months? List a few possibilities, then circle the one
you are most committed to, and get started!
2
What are three concrete steps you can take to move
toward showing that leadership?
What does leadership mean to you?
What are some ways you or your foundation have been
a leader in your community or funding area? What were
the results?
1.
2.
3.
3
In what time frame can you commit to taking these three
steps?
4
What results would you like to achieve? How will you
define success?
5
(After the fact…) Did you do it? How did it go?
What was the easiest part about leading in this situation?
What was most challenging?
4
What qualities do you think make a good leader?
5
What advice would you give someone who is new to
leadership, or just exploring leadership in philanthropy?
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QUESTIONS?
Contact [email protected]
WANT MORE?
If you’re curious to learn more, check out these resources:
Youth Philanthropy Connect: youthphilanthropyconnect.org
Exponent Philanthropy: exponentphilanthropy.org
Youth Serve America: ysa.org
Inspiring Talks: tedxteen.com
Follow us on Twitter: @exponentphil and @EngagingYouth
BOOKS:
The Student Leader’s Field Guide
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens
Thanks for coming by!
See you next time at
Teen Philanthropy Café.
EXPONENT PHILANTHROPY
1720 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-580-6560
exponentphilanthropy.org
Twitter: @exponentphil
Blog: philanthrofiles.org
exponentphilanthropy.org/teen-philanthropy
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All rights reserved.